


A Stereotypical Relationship

by Bass_Line



Category: Six - Marlow/Moss
Genre: Don't judge people based on stereotypes though, F/F, Inspired by The Half of It, It's less of the romance aspect and more of Catherine trying to figure out her shit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-08
Updated: 2020-11-08
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:28:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27452743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bass_Line/pseuds/Bass_Line
Summary: Catherine didn't want to tutor a damn jock, she was beyond saving anyways.Catherine didn't know why of all possible tutors, said jock wanted her.Worst of all, Catherine didn't know why she was actually doing her job and not just for the money.
Relationships: Anne Boleyn/Catherine of Aragon, Anne of Cleves/Catherine Parr
Comments: 1
Kudos: 34





	A Stereotypical Relationship

The first time Catherine met Anna was at a stairwell, or rather, she was cornered by the latter and was trapped at said stairwell while they were at school. Catherine was intimidated by Anna, given that she towered over her as well as her intense staring. She was about to forcefully shove Anna away from her when the latter spoke, her words blunt yet hiding a tenderness that Catherine had never expected.

"Be my tutor." She said, surprising Catherine. Catherine was about to turn her down, but Anna insisted, citing that her contact number was on bulletin boards in the school building, that interested parties could approach her if they needed tutoring.

Catherine frowned, she wouldn't outright say it, but she held little hope that the jock would see results even if she agreed. Perhaps it was biasness on her own part, but that was her sincere belief. Instead, she politely turned Anna down, saying that she was too busy with others. Anna refused to budge, muttering that she would pay any amount as long as Catherine agreed to tutor her. Catherine was perturbed at why Anna desperately wanted _her_ of all possible tutors, she was aware that Anna's best friend was good at academics despite being a year below them.

Anna continued, saying that it had to be her. Catherine groaned, reluctantly agreeing to tutor Anna. She only did so only to get Anna away from her, and was taken aback by the bright smile on the jock's face. Apparently, that made Anna's day, and they were soon exchanging contact numbers so that they could contact each other. Catherine said that she would get back to Anna by the end of that day, and hurriedly left the stairwell, confused by the interaction she had with the jock.

* * *

They had agreed on Catherine tutoring Anna after her volleyball practice at Catherine's place given that they weren't allowed to stay in school past seven, and Anna's practices always ended at seven on the dot. Catherine would rather not bring Anna over to her place given that it was actually her godmother's best friend's unit, but their schedules couldn't align for the other days. When she asked Anna about holding the sessions at the latter's house, Anna said that her family always hosted business dinners and as such would be awkward. So it was Friday evenings at 7.30 at Catherine's place, and that brought her no joy.

At least Anna was always punctual for the tutoring sessions, Catherine appreciated someone with a sense of punctuality. She noticed the faint smell of deodorant lingering around Anna, but never once mentioned it. She was pleasantly surprised that her initial impression of the jock was… slightly erroneous, that Anna was mindful towards how others perceived her. Catherine then asked what subject Anna needed tutoring, the latter responding that she needed help in Maths.

Catherine nodded, asking Anna to elaborate on the topics she needed help with. Anna sheepishly replied that she needed help in almost every topic, with her biggest weakness being finance. Catherine then made an offhand comment that she expected Anna to be good at finance given that she was from a rich family, and that rich families should be well-versed in such topics. Anna shrugged, casually replying that the richer people are, the less they know how to manage their finances.

Catherine groaned, realising that she had her work cut out for her. She asked Anna to take out her Maths textbook and notes, only for the latter to reply that she left her textbook in her locker while she wasn't the type to take notes during lessons. Catherine wanted to scream, what kind of tuition involved the student not bringing any materials to the session?

"See, this is the reason why you're failing."

"Teacher goes too fast for me to copy stuff down, so I stopped entirely." Catherine frowned, the teachers always went at a reasonable pace when it came to Maths. Then again, it wasn't as if she didn't understand Anna. Jane once told her that she had that problem when it came to English and Literature lessons, that all the words were a blur to her and she eventually stopped trying until six months before her A-levels.

"Cathy! Mama?" A boy no older than three tottered out, his hands outstretched towards Catherine. The girl in question glanced at Anna, who was staring at the boy with wonder and curiosity. Catherine picked the boy up, the boy giggling away while making happy sounds. "Cathy!"

"Your brother?" Anna asked, an innocent question that made Catherine tense up. It wasn't as if the boy was some dirty secret, she just didn't know if it was her place to introduce him to someone she barely knew. The boy was starting to reach out to Anna, and Catherine debated letting the jock hold him. Eventually she did, constantly reminding Anna to be careful with him. "Got a name lil' man?"

"Edward, Jane calls him 'Eddie'."

"His eyes are a pretty blue, but not as pretty as yours."

"Are you here to study, or here to flirt with me?"

"Bit of a shame that I can't give you a compliment without any strings attached." Catherine smirked, Anna was proving herself to be much more than the dumb jock stereotype that she subscribed to. Anna started playing with Edward, who was fully entertained by her. Catherine sighed resignedly, it seemed like she wouldn't be tutoring Anna much now that Edward was present to be an adorable distraction.

* * *

Catherine was startled when Katherine approached her during one of the theatre club's rehearsals, they usually didn't interact in school unless necessary. And by 'necessary', it usually meant that Catherine's godmother was in the hospital but was too stubborn to inform her goddaughter about it. She was immensely relieved when her junior told her that her godmother was healthy, however she was wary the moment Katherine mentioned Anna's name.

It turned out that Katherine was confronting her, not about how she was tutoring her best friend instead of Katherine herself but rather the exorbitant fees Catherine charged Anna. Catherine shrugged, she explained that since Anna was rich, she felt that it was fine to charge her at a slightly higher rate. She also reminded Katherine that she didn't want to be completely financially dependent on Jane and her godmother, that she wanted to at least have the ability to afford university textbooks with her own money.

Katherine scoffed at Catherine's words, jabbing a finger at the latter's right shoulder. Katherine then lectured Catherine that she shouldn't take advantage of Anna simply because she was rich, that she should be treated fairly like how Catherine treated the students she tutored. Catherine rolled her eyes, admitting that one of the other reasons she charged Anna higher was because she didn't have much hope for the jock.

Her comment incensed Katherine enough to deliver a stinging slap across her face, before storming off. Catherine winced, hoping that she didn't mention her biasness to her godmother. The last thing she wanted was to be on the receiving end of a stern lecture about how she shouldn't judge a book by its cover, she did that once, and the person who was being unfairly judged turned out to be Katherine's cousin _and_ her godmother's wife. Fun times, Catherine wistfully thought.

Hours later, Anna jogged up to her and apologised for Katherine's behaviour. Catherine shrugged it off, Katherine _did_ raise valid points even though she wouldn't budge on charging Anna the same as the rest. Anna nodded, suggesting that she treated Catherine to a meal. Catherine wanted to say yes, but her conscience was weighing on her. Thanks to Katherine, she was becoming acutely aware of when she was exploiting Anna's financial resources. So she declined, and she swore that she saw Anna looking disappointed upon hearing the answer.

Eventually, Catherine caved and clarified her response. That Anna could bring her somewhere for a meal, but they would split the bill. Immediately, Anna perked up and smiled broadly. Catherine protested as Anna brought her into a tight bear hug, but Anna was apparently too happy to hear the strained protests. Only when Catherine started hitting Anna's muscular arms in a desperate attempt to be freed did the jock notice and release Catherine from the hug, profusely apologising for it.

"Make sure you do the work I assigned you Anna." Catherine reminded before she left, with Anna replying that it wasn't her fault if she produced shoddy work. Catherine chuckled at the reply, she had _some_ confidence that Anna would be able to surprise herself.

* * *

"How was lunch with your friend?" Jane asked as she fed Edward a carrot, the boy frowning with disgust as his mother tried to coax him into eating the offending root. His uncle laughed behind them, suggesting to his sister to let Edward off for the day. He glanced at Catherine, smiling in a way that sent shivers up her spine. The smile was friendly enough, but Catherine knew that there were ulterior motives behind that smile of his, just that she didn't know what. "Thomas, are you leaving already?"

"Yeah, thanks for having me over Jane. Send my regards to our cousin-in-law." Thomas said as he left the flat unit, leaving Catherine alone with Jane and her son. Edward proceeded to stick his tongue out in an attempt to not consume the carrot, but a disappointed frown from his mother and he was reluctantly crunching away on the carrot. Catherine smirked, Jane's frown had an impact on everyone, no exceptions.

Jane once again asked her about Catherine's lunch with Anna, and the girl had a hint of a smile on her features as she recounted the lunch with the jock. She said that it started off awkwardly given that they were in different social circles, or in Catherine's case, the lack of it. However, once Anna asked how did Catherine know Katherine, they started to hit off. She also told Jane that there was actually more to Anna than the dumb jock stereotype, that what she lacked for in academics was made up in her personality, and that she was really a simple and sincere girl.

Catherine ended off the recount by stating that she wouldn't mind hanging out with Anna again outside the tutoring sessions. Jane then pointed out that Catherine had a crush on the jock, the latter vehemently disagreeing. They were acquaintances, barely friends at most. All they had in common were the tutoring sessions and Katherine. Jane continued by reminding Catherine of her godmother's love story with Jane's cousin, which started off with the couple hating each other. Catherine rolled her eyes, arguing that unlike said couple, she didn't hate Anna and that they had almost nothing in common.

Catherine eventually ended the conversation by informing Jane that she had to work, the latter crossing her arms in response. Catherine said that it was necessary, and that she didn't want to depend on Jane or her godmother anymore than what was required. Jane frowned, the kind that grandmothers gave whenever they disapproved of something out of worry. She asked if there was another way apart from Catherine's work, the latter replying that her work drew in an extremely high pay.

Leaving Jane behind in the living room with Edward, who was blissfully unaware of what his mother had argued with dear 'Cathy', Catherine went straight to her bedroom. The room was littered with books and papers, the walls marked with coloured post-it notes as reminders to what she needed to do for her work. She grabbed her laptop and turned it on, the device starting up with a low hum as she stretched her palms, preparing to write 25 essays on whether life was worth enjoying.

_'It's all for university Catherine, can't burden Jane or Catalina any longer than I have to.'_

* * *

Catherine was cornered to a wall by Anna weeks later, who had a solemn expression as she loomed above the girl. Catherine crossed her arms, she had a bad feeling about the conversation they were about to have. She was proven right when Anna asked about her work, which also served as her main source of income. Catherine simply shrugged, calmly explaining that it was simply to earn money and that it was all business.

"You're ruining their lives."

"Maybe, but I need the money. They're willing to pay anyways." Catherine had always wondered why she didn't meet Anna through her main source of income, then again Anna had surprised her more than once throughout the months of tutoring. Still, that didn't stop her from blurting out her innermost thoughts, the ones that caused Katherine to slap her four days after her first tutoring session with Anna. "Why didn't you ask me to do your assignments? Someone like you would definitely know about my main cash cow."

"... I'll tell you tomorrow at our usual time." Was all Anna said as she backed away, slowly turning away from Catherine. It was as though she hoped Catherine would chase after her and stop her from leaving, but knowing Catherine, she wouldn't chase after someone not when they have agreed to meet again for an explanation. Once Anna left, Catherine let out a heavy sigh that she didn't know how long she had been holding in for.

"Haha… ha… fuck me."

"You're not my type, and I don't exactly want Jane coming down on me for screwing you." Catherine gasped with fright as Katherine replied, not expecting anyone to hear her. Katherine crossed her arms, blowing out a green bubble with the gum she was chewing. Catherine shut her eyes tight and tensed up, expecting another slap from her junior. Her left eye cracked open after a few moments of silence, with Katherine staring at her as though she had grown two heads.

Katherine then asked why she was still writing other students' assignments, and what made her think that it was right of her to assume that Anna should be engaging her for that particular service. Catherine groaned, _of course_ Katherine had to overhear everything. Catherine reminded her junior that once again, she needed money and a surprising number of students were willing to pay someone to do their work as long as the price was reasonable.

Catherine then explained that months ago, she too had bought into the stereotype that all jocks were dumb and resorted to the easy way out. She admitted that she was proven wrong by Anna, who was no doubt earnest in her studies despite her difficulties. Katherine was about to say something, but held her tongue and nodded briskly instead. Catherine felt that the junior was hiding something from her, but chose not to pursue it. It most likely didn't concern her, she reasoned.

She then excused herself by indicating that she had to leave for her next lesson, with Katherine making a noise in acknowledgement. She could feel Katherine burning holes on her back, and shuddered at the thought. Catherine knew that when it came to Anna, the junior was more than protective over her best friend. Sometimes Catherine wondered if Katherine liked Anna in a way that was more than platonic, but figured that it probably wasn't the case, there _were_ instances of friendships being stronger than romantic relationships after all.

* * *

"Banana!" Edward joyfully called out as Catherine led Anna into the living room, the jock beaming at the boy. Catherine sighed, reminding Edward that Anna's name wasn't actually 'banana', but Anna was quick to allow the boy to continue calling her a banana. "Bananaaaaa!"

"I swear, you look _nothing_ like a banana."

"Bananas are healthy, and so am I." Anna replied, bringing a smile on Catherine's face. She appreciated Anna's ability to lighten the mood, as well as her infectious energy. Days before the chilling confrontation, she had agreed to go jogging with Anna and Katherine despite hating exercise with a passion. Sure, she gave up less than 100 metres in, but had Anna not persuaded her to join them, she wouldn't even have considered it at all.

Catherine shook her head, Anna had promised to tell her the reason why she didn't approach her for her main source of income. She cleared her throat and gave Anna a firm nod to remind her the purpose of that Friday's tutoring session. Anna sighed, handing Edward a few stray blocks for him to play with. She went through her bag and fished out a slightly crumpled piece of paper, handing it to Catherine shortly after.

Catherine took the paper and scanned through the details, her eyebrows raised as she realised its contents. It was an essay that had a 40 percent weightage for Literature in their first year, and she recognised some of the words used in the essay's points. She realised that _she_ was the one who wrote the essay, yet Anna's name was on top. Catherine now understood that Anna had approached her before, but she frowned as she racked her brain for the memory of Anna asking her to write that essay.

The jock ran a hand through her short hair, messing it up with ease. She explained that last year, someone from her volleyball team mentioned that Catherine was willing to complete assignments for a price, and that she was willing to give a discount to bulk requests. As she was too busy with practice and had a disinterest towards studies in general, Anna agreed to getting her assignment written by Catherine. It was after receiving an A for that essay that she felt guilty for not being the one _actually_ completing the assignment, and Anna sought to approach Catherine afterwards.

Catherine asked why Anna wanted to seek her out when there was nothing in it for her, and Anna replied that she wanted to know why anyone would be willing to sacrifice their time and possibly their own grades for the sake of others. Anna recounted her delight when she found out that Catherine offered tutoring sessions, which gave her an opportunity to talk to her. Catherine then asked why couldn't she simply approach her given that the jock clearly knew who wrote her essay. Anna laughed wryly, citing that she had a hard time tracking Catherine down. She also added that had she known that Katherine knew Catherine, she would've simply approached her best friend and begged her to get an audience with Catherine.

"So you're telling me that you grew a conscience and that's the reason why you're willing to get tutored by me?"

"That, and I'm also interested to get to know you. Kitty… isn't very helpful when it comes to you."

"I'm sure, and you're _okay_ with paying me 150 an hour just to be my friend?"

"Mmhm."

"... Please don't tell me you're the type that buys friendships." Anna chuckled, assuring Catherine that no, her friendship with Katherine was most certainly not built on money. Catherine felt a bit relieved hearing that, though she didn't know why. Anna then asked if she was okay with continuing their tutoring sessions, and that she understood if Catherine wanted to stop.

Catherine shook her head, replying that she wasn't going to stop until Anna had gotten the grades needed.

* * *

Catherine groaned as she was sitting outside the principal's office, with Anna beside her as they waited for the principal to see them. Catherine stared through her broken lens, cursing at how she had to buy a new pair of glasses and that it was eating into her funds for her university tuition. Anna gently reassured her that the tutor would be able to earn enough money to cover the costs of her glasses _and_ have a surplus. Catherine grinned, commenting that her tutoring were starting to pay off.

Before Anna could make a witty comeback, the door opened and the principal beckoned them in. They entered the office, and sat beside each other under the stern gaze of the principal. He then went on about how violence was never the answer, and that Anna shouldn't be seen punching someone outside school. Anna scoffed, defending that if the person who reported them had any brains, they should be calling the police.

Catherine placed a hand on Anna's thigh in a bid to quiet her, a bid that succeeded. Catherine then evenly explained that they should not have been called back in given that it was after school hours, and that what happened outside of school indeed warranted a police report made by _her_. She continued by saying that she knew the man who tried to molest her, and it was unfair for two girls to be called into the principal's office after school hours simply because there was a scene.

The principal sighed, deciding to let the two girls off without any consequences. He sternly warned Anna to not engage in any sort of violence within the school's vicinity as it would badly damage the school's reputation, and Anna had to bite her tongue and nod lest she earnt herself a detention or two. As they left the office, Anna started to swear, about how she would cut the man's throat and throw his body into River Thames. Catherine interrupted her by saying that Jane wouldn't be happy to hear that Anna had plans to murder her brother, and the only thing that they could _really_ do was to notify Jane about Thomas.

Anna grumbled, reminding Catherine that she was available if the latter needed any help. Catherine joked that she certainly wouldn't be able to help with academic matters, a joke that Anna took in stride. Anna coughed, her tone serious as she insisted that her offer was genuine. Catherine smiled, playfully swatting Anna's arm before commenting that it was harder than she had expected. The jock shrugged, remarking that it was expected given that she played volleyball.

"Want to come over my place and help me come up with what to say to Jane?"

"Throw in Eddie and you got yourself a deal."

"Hm, I should help you draft out a custody arrangement over Edward with Jane then."

* * *

"It's a shame that I never get to see your crush, she sounds like a lovely girl." Jane commented as she avoided stepping on her son's blocks, a loud groan coming from Catherine in response to Jane. The mother chuckled as she fondly ruffled Edward's blond hair, giving her best friend's goddaughter a knowing look. Catherine rolled her eyes, dismissing Jane's comment with a wave of her hand.

Catherine told her to fuck off, which instantly earnt her a lecture, not because Jane didn't deserve to be swore at, but because Edward was still present and the last thing his mother wanted was for him to pick up swear words from Catherine. The girl mumbled an apology, with Jane accepting it immediately. Jane then asked if Catherine was alright with the action taken against Thomas, that if she was willing to stop at a non-molestation order. Catherine shrugged, her aim was to simply inform Jane that her brother had touched her in an inappropriate manner outside school, why was he even outside her school was a mystery to her.

Jane nodded, personally not pleased that she couldn't call the police on her brother thanks to their parents. If he had touched Catherine, who was basically a daughter to Jane at that point, in such a manner, who was to say that he wouldn't do so to his nephew? Or even their cousin's daughter, she _had_ been hearing him talk about sweet Elizabeth numerous times to the extent that she had considered it unhealthy. Catherine then went back to their previous topic, saying that she didn't have a crush on Anna and that said jock was already enamoured with Katherine.

Jane asked how did the girl know, and Catherine replied that it was obvious. She always saw them together, barring volleyball practice. Even then, Katherine would always support Anna at competitions, and she knew that Anna did the same whenever the theatre club held performances. Jane commented that they were just doing what any friend would do, to which Catherine retorted that her godmother didn't visit Jane while she was on shift at the library back then.

Jane giggled, highlighting that Catalina was much too busy with her studies to even visit her at the school library. She then asked Catherine to give Anna a chance, or to at least ask Katherine if they were dating. Catherine refused, citing that Katherine didn't like her and was just as much of a bitch as her cousin, who was technically also her godmother given that she married Catalina. It was Jane's turn to roll her eyes, and the mother insisted that she shouldn't judge Katherine when she barely took the time to know her.

"She's a petty bitch and you know it." Catherine scoffed, her blue eyes noticing a scrap of paper on the floor. She picked it up and was about to throw it into the bin, but noticed the handwriting. It was a familiar messy scrawl, the same one she was tortured with while grading the homework she gave to Anna. Catherine read the contents on the paper, and felt her heart sink. She let out a wry laugh, sarcastically informing Jane that she had received her answer and she didn't have to approach Katherine at all.

Jane asked what Catherine meant, and the latter explained that Anna had written a poem. For _Katherine_ , she emphasised. She then began reading out the poem, citing that 'I see the real you through your lens' was a reference to the number of selfies the younger girl liked to take, and that 'coffee runs through your veins' was about how often Katherine visited Starbucks after school with Anna on Wednesdays. Edward started babbling in distress, seemingly aware that Catherine was reading too much into Anna's poem.

"Eddie's right, you're reading too much into it. You know, it _can_ be you that Anna's talking about in her poem."

"Hardy ha ha, I'll wear that fucking off-shoulder dress that green bitch bought for me if you're right."

"You're on Cathy." Jane wasn't one to bet, but she was the type to take calculated risks and given what she knew thanks to Katherine, she was sure that Anna was crushing on Catherine. Catherine smirked, confident that she would win the bet and that she wouldn't have to wear anything from the woman she once dissed. Edward happily gurgled, his following words shocking his two parental figures greatly.

"Bee… beeeeee… bitch!"

"Oh fiddlesticks, look at what you've done!"

"Well, fuck me gently with a chainsaw, he's a fast learner."

"Ffffff… fffffah… fack! Fack! Fack!"

"Great, now your mum's coming after my head."

* * *

Catherine decided to return Anna's poem to its rightful owner at her earliest convenience, which turned out to be during lunch on Monday. Anna was seated with Katherine, mildly surprised as she was under the impression that she would be seated with her teammates. She always ate alone in an empty classroom during lunch, the boisterous chatter from the rest of the school always overwhelmed her, plus being alone gave her numerous opportunities to write the students' assignments.

She approached Anna and Katherine, handing the paper back to Anna. Anna looked at it inquisitively, her eyes widening with horror as she realised what Catherine had in her hand. The paper was soon snatched out of her hand, and Anna managed to stammer out a question, asking if she had read what was on the paper. Catherine glanced briefly at Katherine, who looked as though she was about to murder her if she didn't leave them alone soon.

She replied that Anna's handwriting was too messy for her to make out the words anyways, not revealing that she managed to decipher the words and that she was aware that the poem was meant for Katherine. She wouldn't reveal Anna's feelings just like that in front of her crush, just like she would _never_ admit that Jane was right to tease her about her own crush on Anna. Crushes were overrated, she told herself, in a desperate attempt to numb herself to her silent heartbreak.

Anna breathed a sigh of relief, widely beaming at Catherine upon hearing the news. Katherine said nothing, her eyes squinting at the tutor. Catherine excused herself, mentioning that she had other homework to look through in preparation for her other tutoring sessions. Anna reminded her to take breaks once in a while, and Katherine told her that she would drop dead if she kept going.

"Don't be bitter just because no one wants you to tutor them." Catherine didn't know why she couldn't control herself, she usually wasn't one to be hostile in public. Katherine raised her eyebrows, her pink eyes flashing with tinges of concern. Catherine shuddered, she didn't like the look in Katherine's eyes. Anna didn't say anything, it was as though she was observing her best friend's interaction with Catherine. Catherine gulped, did that mean that she had to be nice to Katherine around Anna?

"... Believe it or not, I'm not bitter."

"Ladies, can't we have lunch in peace? Catherine, wanna join us?" Anna offered, a hopeful look in her eyes as she waited for Catherine to answer. She glanced at Katherine, who had her arms crossed. Catherine wasn't sure if she should accept, but apparently, she was weak to Anna's smile just like everyone was towards Jane's frown. She reluctantly sat beside Katherine, only because she didn't want to risk facing Katherine's jealousy.

Anna then started talking about her grades, that Catherine had really helped her improve. Catherine flinched as Katherine complimented her tutoring skills, wary that their junior had an ulterior motive behind her compliment. Anna then talked about how pretty Catherine's eyes were, the latter deflecting the compliment by stating that Katherine's eyes were much better to look at. Anna nervously chuckled and continued, saying that Catherine's handwriting was beautiful to look at. The tutor countered by bringing up how Anna complained that cursive handwriting made her head hurt, and the teachers agreed with Anna.

"Just take the fucking compliments Catherine! Humility's an ugly look on you."

"Not everyone is used to being praised." There it was again, another jab at Katherine. Catherine internally groaned, she didn't expect herself to be crushing on Anna _that_ hard. When did she even start liking Anna anyway? Certainly not during the first ten tutoring sessions, she thought. Katherine sighed deeply, muttering that she would compliment Catherine with a multi-use pocket knife in order to force Catherine to accept the compliments.

_'Should I be scared that Katherine's willing to threaten me with a Swiss Army knife, or that she has one to begin with?'_

* * *

"You know, I think I'm fucked up." Catherine told Elizabeth, who was Katherine's niece. Elizabeth nodded, barely looking up from the sums Catherine had tasked her to do. Catherine sighed deeply, she wondered why she was even tutoring her least favourite woman's daughter. Then she remembered that Elizabeth was also her godmother's adopted daughter, which made them sisters. "I mean, I'm being a petty bitch to Katherine who's honestly? Kinda nice now that I'm hanging out with her for lunch."

"Mama says to not swear in this household."

"Yeah, but our beloved mother isn't here to tell us off."

Elizabeth looked up, making a show of rolling her eyes which made Catherine chuckle. Catherine then asked the girl why wasn't her aunt at home, the latter responding that she was attending a competition that day. The tutor nodded, she recalled Anna saying that she had a competition against another school that day, and was invited to watch the competition. Catherine turned the jock down, not just because of her firm disinterest towards sports but also because she had to tutor Elizabeth.

Elizabeth then mentioned that Katherine had once told her that Catherine was so blind, to which the girl in question responded that she was much more observant than what the 'selfie queen' thought. She proudly proclaimed that she was trying to get Katherine and Anna together, accidentally letting it slip that she harboured a romantic interest towards Anna. Elizabeth groaned loudly, declaring that Catherine was indeed 'a right idiot' and that she knew _nothing_.

Catherine countered that it was Elizabeth who knew nothing, and was possibly being misled by Katherine's manipulations. The girl threw her pen to the floor, and yelled. She yelled that Katherine was trying to get Catherine _together_ with Anna, and that Katherine had zero romantic interest in the jock. Catherine didn't believe Elizabeth's words, and said that it was obvious Katherine had a massive crush on Anna given how often they hung out.

"God fucking damn it! You've set yourself up for rejection, no wonder you don't see Aunt Kitty trying to ship you two together!" Catherine picked up the pen and was about to throw it at the girl, but a clearing of a throat spooked her. She glanced towards the door, and was relieved to see Elizabeth's sister, Mary, frowning at them. Elizabeth then stuck out her tongue in retaliation, expecting her older sister to scold her for swearing.

Mary did give a scolding that day, to _Catherine_. Catherine was shocked, a girl eight years her junior was scolding her. It wasn't even about teaching young Elizabeth all the swear words Catherine knew, it was instead about how blind _she_ was towards Katherine's efforts to get her best friend into a relationship with her sort of cousin that no one knew how are they actually related anymore. Catherine shook her head, denying that Katherine was shipping them together.

"She literally complained to us about how you're dense as heck. Also, she said that you're salty towards her."

"Yeah! She said that all the salt in the world couldn't compare to the saltiness you have towards her when it's about Anna!"

"I-! Have you two even _seen_ Katherine with Anna? They're basically dating!"

"We have, and we've also seen Anna being a blubbering mess when Aunt Kate tries to convince her to confess to you already."

Catherine barked at Mary's statement, Anna _liked_ her? She couldn't believe it, not when she got along better with Katherine. She had seen the way she looked at her best friend, and the poem? Don't get her started on the poem, she told the girls. They were just mates, no chemistry, Catherine informed them. The two sisters glanced at each other, and simply commented that Catherine may be smart, but she was a damned idiot. Mary then insisted on attending the competition, to at least show up even if the competition was already over.

Catherine argued that it was a waste of time, and she never liked sports to begin with. Elizabeth pointed out that this was a good way to steal Anna's attention from Katherine, in addition to being the jock's tutor. Catherine shook her head, replying that she wouldn't stoop to Katherine's level. The girls facepalmed, pushing Catherine out of the unit and locking her outside. They then shouted at her to attend the competition, and they weren't going to let Catherine back in unless she came back hours later. Catherine groaned, realising that the girls were serious and with a huff, headed towards the direction of the school with nothing but the pen Elizabeth threw.

Upon reaching the school, she made her way towards the school's sports hall where the competition was held. She entered just in time to witness Anna leaping up and spiking the ball down with a heavy palm, the ball slamming against the floor with a loud bam. A whistle signalled the end of the match, with Anna's team winning marginally. Catherine winced as the majority of the school cheered over the win, barely noticing Anna running up to her like how a puppy would towards their owner.

Anna asked if Catherine watched the entire match, the latter shaking her head before complimenting the jock on the winning spike. Anna blushed, scratching her cheek bashfully at her tutor's compliment. Anna's teammates called out to her, exclaiming that they were going out to celebrate and Anna should bring her 'girlfriend' along. Catherine said that she should go, that she didn't want to intrude when Katherine came over. Anna nodded shakily, a mix of relief and longing present in her brown eyes as they were averted from Catherine.

Unbeknownst to them, Katherine was watching them, and was cursing at the failed opportunity Catherine could have gotten to progress her relationship with Anna.

* * *

Catherine grumbled, making her way towards the computer lab Katherine had wanted to meet her at. No doubt it was about Anna, she figured. Scowling, she entered the room, swear words at the ready when she saw Anna, who was confused at Catherine's presence. Before Catherine could react, she was shoved into the room, the door locking behind her. They both realised that Katherine had lured them to the computer lab, for reasons unknown. Catherine started fiddling with the lock, but for some reason the door refused to open. She then banged her fists onto the wooden door, warning Katherine that her blood would be spilt if they weren't released immediately.

"I'm tired of the pining! Your tutoring sessions aren't _just_ tutoring anymore! You two are dancing around your feelings, and my god, the worst part is that neither of you are saying _anything_ about it!" Katherine yelled back, frustrated at the lack of progress over the months. Sure, she knew Catherine hated her and apparently thought that she had a thing for Anna, but she was at least expecting her best friend to make a move by now. "This is the last resort!"

"Alright, alright! We'll do something about it!" Anna replied, tapping on Catherine's shoulder and silently pointing to the window. Catherine smirked, understanding what Anna was trying to tell her. She played along with Anna, faking an infuriated huff before pacing around the room for good measure. Anna stifled her giggles, thrilled that they were about to beat Katherine at her own game.

Silently, she made her way to the window and forced it open. She stared at the ground below, they were lucky that the computer lab was on the second floor and Anna could easily jump from that height. Catherine made her way towards the jock, nudging her playfully to gain her attention. Anna grinned, informing her tutor that they could easily escape and Katherine would be none the wiser. Anna continued by saying that she would have to carry Catherine bridal-style while the latter held onto their belongings, and possibly hope that Katherine didn't happen to check on them while making the jump.

"Bridal style huh? Sounds romantic, too bad Katherine locked us in." Catherine dryly laughed, she knew that whatever Katherine said was utter nonsense, and it was simply a cruel trick played on her. Anna was definitely none the wiser, she surmised. Anna shrugged, waiting by the window while Catherine gathered their belongings. Once she had secured them onto her body, Anna scooped her up and placed a foot on the window ledge.

"Hold on tight, love." Anna warned, and leapt down to the ground below. Catherine felt the air rush past her during the jump, and strangely enough, she didn't feel fear during the six seconds. Catherine was expected to be placed down, and was surprised when Anna didn't let go. "... Ever thought about us dating?"

"You know you look better with Katherine by your side. Red and pink is a _way_ better match than blue and red."

"... You're not answering my question though." Anna continued, making no indication to put Catherine down. Catherine groaned, was this it? Was this the moment? The nerdy girl confessing to the popular (Catherine assumed all jocks were popular) jock and getting herself rejected for the cheerleader (granted Katherine wasn't a cheerleader, but she had the body of a stereotypical one) queen?

"I suppose… I'm open to the idea."

"Will you kick me if I say that Kitty's right?"

"I'm… honestly surprised that you know how to dance." Anna giggled, placing Catherine down as gently as she could. Catherine didn't know what to say to change topics except provide a compliment with the most horrible double meaning possible. It was a stereotype on Catherine's part that all rich people were expected to know how to dance. Or at least, the ones Anna were exposed to. Catherine couldn't help but to smile at Anna's reply, though she felt guilty that she didn't give Anna a straight answer. She didn't know if what she had was real enough to be considered sufficient for a relationship. What if she screwed up? Katherine will definitely have her head.

Catherine dusted herself off to distract herself, was it even worth it? Should she even admit that yes, she liked Anna in _that_ way, but were her feelings enough? She couldn't even put a date to when she started feeling that way, the earliest sign being when she was jealous over a poem Anna had written for Katherine. Even then, she wasn't sure if jealousy equated to being in love. Friends were jealous all the time, just like how friends complimented athletic ability, or how often they work out, or get disappointed that they have to leave after the tutoring sessions.

She excused herself, citing that she had assignments to doctor for her clients. Anna protested, saying that she should stop doing it given that they had two months left before their A-levels. Catherine shrugged, she was almost meeting her goal and she wasn't going to stop. She reassured Anna that she would still continue to tutor Anna until their national examinations were over, which didn't smooth the latter's ruffled feathers at all but Anna chose to grit her teeth and nod.

Anna watched as Catherine walked away, with Katherine joining her the moment Catherine was out of sight. Katherine chuckled, elbowing Anna and commenting that her plan failed. Anna growled, not wanting to be reminded that she failed to get the answer she needed from Catherine. She still had no idea whether Catherine liked her the way she did, and the tutor was being extremely vague with her answers. Anna turned to Katherine, who was busy updating her social media.

"Are you _sure_ she likes me? This… this isn't some cruel prank right? What if I ruin my friendship with her forever?!"

"I'm fucking positive Anna, she's into you. Why not read out that poem she returned to you? I'm sure Catherine would _swoon_ once she sees your hidden literary talent~"

"Y-You said that my poem's absolute rubbish the other day!"

"One girl's trash is another girl's treasure."

"No offence, but her standards are way higher than yours."

"Shut the fuck up before I yeet you to the sun Anna."

* * *

Catherine had a tense smile as she watched Anna interact with Katherine's cousin, who was also her godmother's wife. Her godmother cringed from a corner as her daughters started teasing Edward, muttering about how her beloved wife wasn't raising them right. Katherine tapped on Catherine's shoulder, her lips curled upwards into the same tense smile Catherine had. She congratulated Catherine on finishing the last paper for her A-levels, to which Catherine nodded stiffly.

Katherine sighed, asking if Catherine was still jealous over Anna. Catherine replied that no, she didn't like her junior that much ever since she met her cousin. Katherine rolled her eyes, offering an apology that she was the reason Catherine had to stay with Jane. Catherine sighed, muttering that she was sorry for being so cold towards Katherine despite the latter being nothing but cordial as much as she could. Katherine accepted the apology, and remarked that she didn't want to stay with Jane because of Thomas.

"Heh, that bloke's not coming anywhere near us anytime soon. Fucking molested me months back, and Anna gave him a punch he won't forget."

"How the fuck did I not hear of this?!"

"Fack! Fack!" Edward had waddled up to them and started swearing, which elicited cooing from Katherine. Catherine paled, hoping that Jane was out of earshot. Anna trotted up to Catherine and Katherine, relieved that national examinations were over with. She picked Edward up, who started calling her a 'broody banana'. Catherine facepalmed, it was a good thing Jane was playing Elizabeth and Mary, the older of the two sisters whining that she was too old for Jenga.

Anna chuckled, booping Edward's nose and citing that Catherine was the broodiest among them all. Catherine scoffed, insisting that she wasn't the type to brood. Both Anna and Katherine raised an eyebrow, not believing her the slightest. Katherine made a meaningful nod, to who was something Catherine couldn't figure out but she could at least guess, and made her way to Catalina's side. Catherine was then left alone with Anna, since Edward started pointing at Catherine's least favourite woman while blubbering 'ant' over and over, therefore Anna had to hand the boy over to the 'ant' (whose name was really Anne) before resuming conversation with her former tutor.

Anna thanked her for not giving up on her despite her dismal grades, and Catherine responded that she should be thankful that Anna refused to give up on herself. Catherine went on to say that she was grateful for all the time spent together, and in a way, correcting her faulty belief that all jocks were dumb. She expressed that she enjoyed spending time outside of their tutoring sessions, even though most of the time she ended up in a puddle of her sweat most of the time. Anna let out a hearty laugh, joyfully slapping Catherine's back numerous times. Catherine winced, every slap hurt but she would bear with them given that it was from Anna.

Anna then asked if Catherine was open to dating girls, the reply being that Catherine didn't care, as long as they had a decent personality. Anna nodded, pulling out a crumpled piece of paper from her pocket. Catherine immediately recognised the paper, having returned it to its rightful owner a while back. Anna smoothed the paper, her hand trembling as she started to read the first line.

"Y-Your tone… is harsh and clipped, but… but I see the real you through your lens. A-And uh… every week I see you, hunched over hard at work, coffee runs through your veins as you chug that sixteenth cup. U-Um… and your brown hair, shatters my lips, and locks all words in my head, imprisoning them only for me to hear?"

"... Wait, that poem was about _me_?!" Catherine was truly shocked, she was so sure that the poem was all about Katherine. Then again, she only noticed what she wanted to believe. Anna nodded, rubbing the back of her neck with embarrassment. Catherine couldn't believe it, the poem barely made any indication that it was her. Katherine was blunt at times, and she was studious despite her frivolous appearance, not to mention that _her_ brown hair was way silkier and voluminous. "... What the fuck do you see in me?!"

"Faaaaaaack!" Edward happily cheered, earning herself a glare from his mother. Anne chuckled, she found it adorable that a child that wasn't even three yet was swearing. She gave Catherine a thumbs-up, the intended recipient ignoring it as she didn't want to land herself in further trouble. Catherine crossed her arms, making it known to her godmother's wife (she wasn't going to consider Anne her godmother at all) that relations were still frosty between them.

Anna tried to explain that she actually had a crush on Catherine for a while now, and what caught her attention was how hard she worked given her reputation as someone who wrote assignments for others. She fumbled through her explanation, but managed to force out that she knew that whoever produced quality work for half of their year was bound to be someone capable. Anna rambled on, with Catherine catching bits of it. She caught that Anna was attracted to hard workers, specifically girls who were also humble and decently smart, and it was because of all these traits that really made the jock work up her courage and ask Catherine to be her tutor.

"I-I know that we haven't known each other for long, but I would really like to get to know you better. A-As a girlfriend! Or y'know, if you don't like me that way, I'm cool with just being mates! No chemistry has to be involved if you don't wanna-"

"I don't mind, just… are you sure? I'm a depressing bitch to date, and a jealous one to boot." Catherine warned, she was painfully aware that jealousy ruled her heart far too many times than what she would've liked. The last thing she wanted was for Anna to get her heart broken over jealousy and possible distancing since Catherine didn't deal well with crowds.

"We can take it slow… no expectations, just… us hanging out. Eating some ice cream. Teaching Lizzie how to spin a pen. Reversing whatever you've taught Eddie. It's just… hanging out, without Kitty definitely."

"That sounds nice really, plus exams are over so… we've lots of time to just chill."

"Hey Cathy! Remember the deal? You have to wear the dress that Anna bought for you!" Jane reminded, grinning from ear to ear as everyone watched Catherine scowl at her. Anne's eyes lit up upon hearing that Catherine was going to wear the dress that she bought for her, overjoyed that she was finally able to bury the hatchet with the girl she saw as her third daughter. Catherine blushed a bright red, flipping both fingers at Anne and proceeding to curse at her. Jane chuckled, highlighting that Catherine didn't have to wear it right away, but she could always wear it to the graduation party.

Catherine grumbled, mumbling that she wanted to skip out on the party. Anna reassured her that she would be attending, and as such, would be present to defend her from spilt punch and accidental punching while dancing. Catalina shook her head, making an offhand comment that graduation parties back when she still was a student was far more disciplined than the ones Anna was listing. Jane rolled her eyes, pointing out that Catalina had miraculously gotten drunk and kneed Anne's crotch during her graduation party.

Katherine eagerly begged Jane to tell her the story of how her cousin met Catherine's godmother, while Mary questioned her mothers on how was it possible that they met at a graduation party when they attended different schools. Anne awkwardly chuckled, attempting to distract her cousin by using Elizabeth, who was equally interested to hear about how her mothers met. Catherine shook her head, apologising to Anna for the chaos while Catalina was trying to block out the story by singing in the background.

"I don't mind at all Cathy, wanna head out to the nearest 7-Eleven and grab a drink? Kinda in the mood to try out a red and blue drink."

"Slurpees and romance? Sounds like a setup for cuddling while the fire roars, didn't expect you to be a secret romantic Anna."

"Oh believe me, I'm as romantic as Eddie cutely swearing during a serious moment."


End file.
